The present invention relates to a power distribution panel with circuit element modules.
Electrical circuit panels such as power distribution panels typically include a number of different circuit elements such as fuse holders and fuses, circuit breakers, input and output connectors, and alarm signal LEDs. For safety and other reasons, the electrical circuits of power distribution panels are enclosed within a housing structure. Therefore, the circuit elements listed above have typically been inserted into holes which have been pre-cut or pre-punched into the housing structure, usually on a front or back panel of the housing structure. These prior circuit panels are fixed in that once the holes are formed in the housing, the type and arrangement of the components is limited.
In order to manufacture different fixed circuit panels of the prior systems, a circuit panel manufacturer would punch out different patterns of holes in the front or back panels of the housing structure in order to accommodate different arrangements of circuit elements. Significant retooling time and costs are involved for offering different fixed panels. Assembly of the circuit elements is also difficult when the elements are inserted through the holes. There is a need for further circuit panels which allow for more efficient manufacture and use.
The present invention is an improved circuit panel such as a power distribution panel constructed with circuit element modules. The circuit element modules eliminate the need for punching patterns of specially shaped holes into a front and/or back panel of the housing structure for each element. The circuit elements are disposed on modular members of standardized dimensions which allow the elements to be coupled to the housing structure in one of a variety of selected configurations without the need to customize a hole pattern in a front panel of the housing structure. Eliminating the discrete hole punching increases the ease of producing variable product line or customized circuit panels and results in quicker delivery to the customer.